
A 5-star road to the top of Puerto de Santa Ines in Soria
Spain, europe
27.5 km
1,755 m
moderate
Year-round
# Puerto de Santa Inés: A Spanish Mountain Adventure
Looking for an epic mountain drive? Head to the Puerto de Santa Inés in Soria, Spain – a stunning high-altitude pass sitting pretty at 1,755 meters (5,757 feet) in the heart of Castile and León. The summit is home to a ski resort, so you know you're going somewhere special.
The SO-830 stretches 27.5 kilometers (17 miles) between Montenegro de Cameros and Vinuesa, running north-south through the dramatic Iberian System mountains. The route is paved throughout, though you'll encounter some seriously steep sections – we're talking gradients up to 12%, so definitely keep that in mind if you're towing anything.
The good news? This road stays open year-round, which is pretty impressive for a mountain pass. Just keep an eye on winter weather reports – when things get gnarly, authorities occasionally close it temporarily. But most of the year, you're free to tackle this scenic beauty whenever you like. The mountain scenery alone makes this drive absolutely worth adding to your road trip bucket list.
Where is it?
A 5-star road to the top of Puerto de Santa Ines in Soria is located in Spain (europe). Coordinates: 41.9704, -4.8969
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 27.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,755 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 41.9704, -4.8969
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